get worked up — to become very excited, anxious, angry, or upset about something
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to become very excited, anxious, angry, or upset about something
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɡet wɜːrkt ʌp/
Example Sentences
- My mom gets worked up whenever I mention dropping out of college.
- The fans got really worked up when their team scored the winning goal.
- He gets worked up about the smallest things, like someone using his favorite mug.
get worked up
VERB[/ɡet wɜːrkt ʌp/]
to become very excited, anxious, angry, or upset about something
He started to get worked up when the referee ignored an obvious foul.
The chef gets worked up while the sauce gets stirred up!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase evolved from Old English 'work' (meaning to labor or exert effort), which semantically expanded from physical action to denote agitation or emotional stimulation. The past participle 'worked' combined with 'up' (indicating an elevated or heightened state) to express becoming emotionally aroused or distressed.
Breakdown
get (obtain, come into a state) + worked (past participle of work, extended to mean 'agitated' or 'stimulated') + up (upward, intensifying the emotional state). The construction treats emotional agitation as an accumulated, elevated condition.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My mom gets worked up whenever I mention dropping out of college.”
“The fans got really worked up when their team scored the winning goal.”
“He gets worked up about the smallest things, like someone using his favorite mug.”
“Don't get worked up - it's just a minor setback in the project.”
📚Related Words
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